About Me

I worked at the World's Biggest Bookstore in Toronto for 10 years, until it closed in 2014. During my time there I planned themed endcaps and did author interview displays.
From September 2010 until December 2012 I contributed book reviews and New Author Spotlight posts to SF Signal. From August 2013 to May 2014 I did a Recommended Reading with Professionals column there once or twice a month.
I've got a BA in Medieval History from the University of Toronto.
I'm an avid photographer and crafter, and started making my own greeting cards a few years ago.

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

When Gallop: A Scanimation Picture Book came out in November of 2007 I thought it was a completely original, stunning new way of using books. Turns out that it's not as original as I thought, but it's still a cool way of introducing books to kids who are used to TV (ie, to things MOVING).

In 1975 theMagic Moving Picture Book came out, containing a ruled acetate screen which, once pulled over the pages makes "volcanoes erupt, houses go up in flames, a steamboat plows through the water, and 15 other illusions come to life".

A similar arrangement is used in the newer Magic Moving Images, from July of 2007, shown working in this video:

The difference between Gallop and these others? With Gallop no hand held acetate is required to make the pictures come to life. The act of opening the pages pulls one across the images, making them move, and making them more child friendly as a result.